Heebeet l



I By his .Attorneys (No Model.)

H. L. FORD.

RAILWAY SWITCH. I No. 319,398. Patented June 2, 1885.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Bram .ZI. Ema

N. PEIEHS, m m-umn m m Walmnglnn. n. c.

HERBERT L. FORD, OF AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM TURNBULL, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY SWlTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,398. dated June 2, v1885,

I Application filed March 31, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. FORD, of Aiken, in the county of Aiken and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

in describing the drawings it will be as sumed that the top of the sheet is north, and the bottom, where the side track is shown, south.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of my improved switch, showing it in position I 5 so that a train approaching from the north will take the main track; at the same time a train approaching from the south, either from the main track or from the side track, will take the main track going north. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the switch in position so that a train approaching from the north will take the side track; at the same time a train going north, either from the main track or side track, will take the main track north. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The object of my improvement is to provide a simple, economical, and reliable switch that will always be in position to prevent a train from running off the track, no matter in what direction it is going or from what part of the track it comes.

Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates the main track north, and B the main track south. '0 indicates the side track. D indicates inside guard-rails slightly curved. E indicates the shoe or bed-plate, which is well shown in cross-section in Fig. 8. In each shoe is seated at one side the slightly outwardly-curved end of one of the main tracks north,which constitute the switch-section and the guard'rail F. The middle portion of the shoe is elevated, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the flanges of the car-wheels will aid to bear the weight of the car, and is provided with switch-points Gand H, which may be cast in one with the shoe.

The object of slightly curving the switch ends of the main track north outwardly is to 50 make room for the fixed switch-points in (No model.)

proper relation to the main and side tracks,

' and to properly guide the wheels of the train,

as will appear from the drawings, according to the position of the switch and the direction of movement of the train from a given portion 5 5 of the track. Thus,when the switch is in position as shown in Fig. 1, the main track will always be open for the passage of trains in either direction upon it safely, while at the same time a train will run from the side track onto the main track north with equal facility.

I, K, and L indicate ordinary connecting bars, secured in the usual manner in connection with the switch-sections of the main track. I

The inside guard-rails will perform the ordinary functions of such rails in connection with switches of this general character.

In the drawings the curve of the switch end of the main track north is somewhat exag- 7o gerated in order to better illustrate the idea.

In practice there would need to be but little curve, and it should be extended far enough along the main-track switch-secti0n to cause a gradual change of direction of the train. 7 5 The lengths of the switch-points should be made according to the length of the curve.

I am aware that attempts have heretofore been made to accomplish the general object of my invention by certain devices-for exam- 8o ple, as shown in United States Patents Nos. 221,196, 204,710, 93,177, and 63,663, and perhaps others. I make no claim to any such patented devices; but,

Having thus described my invention, what 8 5 I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The combination, with a pivoted or switch section of a main track, of a shoe consisting of a raised middleportion and two switch-points,

all cast in one piece and carrying a curved section of the main track, and a curved switchguard, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name.

HERBERT L. FORD. 

